Jesus engaged in religious controversy with a fervor and sincerity found in no other character in Biblical or secular history. When He was reviled by His personal enemies He was like a lamb led to the slaughter (Isa.53:7; 1 Pet.2:23). But when He displayed righteous anger He was like a lion, defending His Father’s Law (Jn.2:13-22; Matt.23; Rev.5:5).
Sometimes a Christian is asked pointed questions about what he believes and practices. He should always be ready to give an answer (1 Pet.3:15). Sometimes opportunities are presented to him for public encounters with error (Acts 17: 17,22-32). He is responsible to earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3). Whether he is answering his questioners, publicly disputing as the apostle Paul did, or making an effort to teach lost people, he becomes involved in religious controversy.
There are different ways that a Christian could respond to religious controversy.
First, he could refuse to pay any attention to religious error with the hope that it will go away. But that is wishful thinking. It is unrealistic. Satan and religious error have been in the world for a long time and show no evidence of retiring from the field (1 Jn.5:19;4:1-2). Religious error will not go away, but it must be exposed and refuted. Christians are to shine the light of God’s Word so that it is evident to all. Second, he could turn and run from false teaching and refuse to face it. That is cowardly. The Word of God must be taught in all circumstances (2 Tim.4:2-4). New Testament preaching was controversial (Acts 6:9;9:28-29;17:17). There was much disputing, conflict, and debating.
How different it is today. Some religiously minded people do not know what they believe and feel no need to learn the truth. Or they know what they believe but they do not feel compelled to defend it. They feel that is not right to engage in religious controversy.
Yes, Christians are to “avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife” (2 Tim.2:23). But they are also to oppose error with meekness in hopes of recovering those who are deceived from the snare of the devil (2 Tim.2:24-26).
Third, he could agree to tolerate error, to go along with it. This response establishes an unequal yoke and always puts the truth at a disadvantage. Can we imagine Jesus having this attitude when He found the temple turned into a den of thieves (Mk.11:15-17)? Can we imagine the apostle Paul having this attitude when he faced the atheists and scoffers among the Athenian philosophers (Acts 17:16-34), or even when he found the apostle Peter acting deceitfully (Gal.2: 11-14)? We must understand that “the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable…” (Jas.3:17) . For Christians, it is not peace at any price. We must not compromise the truth of God’s Word. Fourth, he could surrender the truth and embrace error. That is inexcusable and condemning, for error can never do what the truth can do, namely, set us free from our bondage to sin (Jn.8:32). Those who have no love for the truth will be condemned and will perish (2 Thess.2:10-12).
Finally, he could stand for truth and against error (Eph.6:10-20). That is the only acceptable response in religious controversy. A Christian must use the truth to expose and refute error in love (Eph.4:15). When he stands for the truth he will have enemies (Gal.4:16). He should not delight in religious controversy, but he should do his best to defend the truth of God’s Word.
We need to be sure that what we stand for is the truth as it has been revealed in the Word of God. We need to be sure that our motives in standing for the truth are pure and above reproach. We need to let our love for the truth be sincere and our concern for those in error be genuine. We need to stand in a state of constant readiness to teach and defend the truth.
-Scott Vifquain
Sometimes a Christian is asked pointed questions about what he believes and practices. He should always be ready to give an answer (1 Pet.3:15). Sometimes opportunities are presented to him for public encounters with error (Acts 17: 17,22-32). He is responsible to earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3). Whether he is answering his questioners, publicly disputing as the apostle Paul did, or making an effort to teach lost people, he becomes involved in religious controversy.
There are different ways that a Christian could respond to religious controversy.
First, he could refuse to pay any attention to religious error with the hope that it will go away. But that is wishful thinking. It is unrealistic. Satan and religious error have been in the world for a long time and show no evidence of retiring from the field (1 Jn.5:19;4:1-2). Religious error will not go away, but it must be exposed and refuted. Christians are to shine the light of God’s Word so that it is evident to all. Second, he could turn and run from false teaching and refuse to face it. That is cowardly. The Word of God must be taught in all circumstances (2 Tim.4:2-4). New Testament preaching was controversial (Acts 6:9;9:28-29;17:17). There was much disputing, conflict, and debating.
How different it is today. Some religiously minded people do not know what they believe and feel no need to learn the truth. Or they know what they believe but they do not feel compelled to defend it. They feel that is not right to engage in religious controversy.
Yes, Christians are to “avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife” (2 Tim.2:23). But they are also to oppose error with meekness in hopes of recovering those who are deceived from the snare of the devil (2 Tim.2:24-26).
Third, he could agree to tolerate error, to go along with it. This response establishes an unequal yoke and always puts the truth at a disadvantage. Can we imagine Jesus having this attitude when He found the temple turned into a den of thieves (Mk.11:15-17)? Can we imagine the apostle Paul having this attitude when he faced the atheists and scoffers among the Athenian philosophers (Acts 17:16-34), or even when he found the apostle Peter acting deceitfully (Gal.2: 11-14)? We must understand that “the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable…” (Jas.3:17) . For Christians, it is not peace at any price. We must not compromise the truth of God’s Word. Fourth, he could surrender the truth and embrace error. That is inexcusable and condemning, for error can never do what the truth can do, namely, set us free from our bondage to sin (Jn.8:32). Those who have no love for the truth will be condemned and will perish (2 Thess.2:10-12).
Finally, he could stand for truth and against error (Eph.6:10-20). That is the only acceptable response in religious controversy. A Christian must use the truth to expose and refute error in love (Eph.4:15). When he stands for the truth he will have enemies (Gal.4:16). He should not delight in religious controversy, but he should do his best to defend the truth of God’s Word.
We need to be sure that what we stand for is the truth as it has been revealed in the Word of God. We need to be sure that our motives in standing for the truth are pure and above reproach. We need to let our love for the truth be sincere and our concern for those in error be genuine. We need to stand in a state of constant readiness to teach and defend the truth.
-Scott Vifquain